Teachers' strike

Teachers' strike

From Republika

I am very much concerned as well as disappointed about the
teachers' strikes occurring in various regions such as
Purbalingga, Bengkulu, Muna, Padang, Semarang and Madiun.

I realize how hard their duty is and how glorious their
struggle is in educating our youths while their salaries are low.
The government has promised to raise the salaries of civil
servants, including teachers, and their back pay was meant to be
retroactive as of January 2001. But this has been realized in
only a few regions, while others have to wait until when, only
heaven knows. I am also disappointed by Presidential Decree
No.64/2001, which was issued during the Abdurrahman Wahid
administration, without further considering each regions'
financial ability to pay.

I call on President Megawati Soekarnoputri to immediately lay
down a policy as a solution to the decree issued by her
predecessor. Megawati has even said that the most important thing
to do to improve the country's quality of education is, in the
first place, increase teachers' income. It is now time for Ibu
Megawati to make good on her words.

ABDUL HOFIR

Surakarta, Central Java